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Fundraiser set for former Marion/Levy school teacher

Rhonda Legall, shown in her Williston home Wednesday May 1, 2013, had a brain aneurysm in 2007 along with a couple of strokes since.

Alan Youngblood / Ocala Star-Banner

By Marian RizzoCorrespondent

Published: Thursday, May 2, 2013 at 4:56 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, May 2, 2013 at 9:02 p.m.

There was a time when Rhonda Legall was active in her church and, for more than 30 years, taught school in Marion and Levy counties. In February 2007, however, Legall suffered a brain aneurism and a head injury, and has since had two strokes and several seizures.

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Legall first was taken to Shands at the University of Florida in Gainesville and was placed in an induced coma for two months, followed by a very slow recovery. Now 58, she lives with her daughters, Keila Legall and Priscilla Smith, who operate a group home for disabled adults. Though she won't be returning to work, Legall is doing fairly well, Smith said.

"She's able to walk and feed herself," Smith said. "We have to do pretty much everything for her. We've been near death with her about five times. You only have one mother, and that's it."

In addition to the hospital bills, Legall's prescriptions for high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation and seizures cost more than $500 a month, Smith said. Additionally, Legall was fitted with a special leg brace paid for by Medicare, but which had a co-pay of $500, Smith said.

To help with Legall's medical bills, a fundraiser has been planned for 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Destiny Church of God by Faith in Williston.

Recalling the day her mother first became ill, Smith said the family was at a Valentine's Day party at a church when her mother left the room for about 30 minutes. Another church member discovered her in the parking lot, where she had fallen and bumped her head.

"She wasn't speaking at all when we found her," Smith said. "When the paramedics came, she had blurry talk. They took her to Shands. She had three surgeries within that week. They induced a coma for two months and put in a stent. When she woke up from the coma, she was like a different person."

A teacher for 17 years at Shady Hill Elementary School in Ocala, Legall also served briefly as a hospital/homebound ESE teacher. She worked for 13 years at an elementary school in Williston and also taught GED classes to disadvantaged youth. In more recent years, she started a private school at her church, Unity Temple in Williston, where she served as principal. When she became ill, the school closed.

"My mom has a master's degree in education," Smith said. "She was working on her doctorate when she had the aneurism. After that, her memory wasn't the same. She was living in the past."

Assisting at Saturday's fundraiser will be the Rev. Freddie Oats and his wife Debora of Faith Temple Worldwide Ministries.

"She was my third-grade teacher at Joyce M. Bullock Elementary School," Freddie Oats said. "She always taught us how to work together, how to respect one another. I don't care how much you tried to make Miss Rhonda upset, she always smiled."

Oats said he was at the Valentine's Day party when Legal had the aneurism.

"We were upset, because we thought, hey, this is one of our giants, one of our pillars of the faith," he said. "She always welcomed visitors at the church. She didn't care whether she knew you or not. She'd just throw her arms around you and give you a big hug."

Oats will preside over Saturday's service, which will include music, a liturgical dance and light refreshments.

"We want to make this memorable for Rhonda," Oats said. "We're just hoping the turnout is going to be awesome. We want to see that big smile on her face again."

<p>There was a time when Rhonda Legall was active in her church and, for more than 30 years, taught school in Marion and Levy counties. In February 2007, however, Legall suffered a brain aneurism and a head injury, and has since had two strokes and several seizures.</p><p>Legall first was taken to Shands at the University of Florida in Gainesville and was placed in an induced coma for two months, followed by a very slow recovery. Now 58, she lives with her daughters, Keila Legall and Priscilla Smith, who operate a group home for disabled adults. Though she won't be returning to work, Legall is doing fairly well, Smith said.</p><p>"She's able to walk and feed herself," Smith said. "We have to do pretty much everything for her. We've been near death with her about five times. You only have one mother, and that's it."</p><p>In addition to the hospital bills, Legall's prescriptions for high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation and seizures cost more than $500 a month, Smith said. Additionally, Legall was fitted with a special leg brace paid for by Medicare, but which had a co-pay of $500, Smith said.</p><p>To help with Legall's medical bills, a fundraiser has been planned for 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Destiny Church of God by Faith in Williston.</p><p>Recalling the day her mother first became ill, Smith said the family was at a Valentine's Day party at a church when her mother left the room for about 30 minutes. Another church member discovered her in the parking lot, where she had fallen and bumped her head.</p><p>"She wasn't speaking at all when we found her," Smith said. "When the paramedics came, she had blurry talk. They took her to Shands. She had three surgeries within that week. They induced a coma for two months and put in a stent. When she woke up from the coma, she was like a different person."</p><p>A teacher for 17 years at Shady Hill Elementary School in Ocala, Legall also served briefly as a hospital/homebound ESE teacher. She worked for 13 years at an elementary school in Williston and also taught GED classes to disadvantaged youth. In more recent years, she started a private school at her church, Unity Temple in Williston, where she served as principal. When she became ill, the school closed.</p><p>"My mom has a master's degree in education," Smith said. "She was working on her doctorate when she had the aneurism. After that, her memory wasn't the same. She was living in the past."</p><p>Assisting at Saturday's fundraiser will be the Rev. Freddie Oats and his wife Debora of Faith Temple Worldwide Ministries.</p><p>"She was my third-grade teacher at Joyce M. Bullock Elementary School," Freddie Oats said. "She always taught us how to work together, how to respect one another. I don't care how much you tried to make Miss Rhonda upset, she always smiled."</p><p>Oats said he was at the Valentine's Day party when Legal had the aneurism.</p><p>"We were upset, because we thought, hey, this is one of our giants, one of our pillars of the faith," he said. "She always welcomed visitors at the church. She didn't care whether she knew you or not. She'd just throw her arms around you and give you a big hug."</p><p>Oats will preside over Saturday's service, which will include music, a liturgical dance and light refreshments.</p><p>"We want to make this memorable for Rhonda," Oats said. "We're just hoping the turnout is going to be awesome. We want to see that big smile on her face again."</p>